Flint police employee unions and three other law enforcement groups said they are today unanimously endorsing Flint mayoral candidate Dayne Walling in the November election.

"This is an unprecedented situation," said Sgt. Rick Hetherington, president of the Flint Police Sergeants Association. "Employee unions have made endorsements before, but not like this, and not with law enforcement, fraternal and political organizations all endorsing the same candidate."

The endorsement was scheduled to be announced at a press conference outside Flint City Hall by the Flint Police Officers Association, the Flint Police Sergeants Association, the Afro-American Police League, the bargaining unit for Flint's police captains and lieutenants and the Michigan Police Officers Association. The last organization is a Troy-based political and lobbying organization for various state law enforcement unions and groups.

The president of the local Fraternal Order of Police lodge, Officer Keith Roberts of the Flint police, said he, too, was endorsing Walling, saying Walling "has the right mix" of leadership and experience that is needed to lead Flint, as opposed to what he called the "dictatorial style" of incumbent Mayor Don Williamson.

Officer Karl Petrich, president of AAPL, agreed.

"Dayne really impressed me," Petrich said. "He hasn't made a bunch of promises. He's been talking about issues and solutions."

Walling welcomed the endorsements.

"This is every level of the police force coming together because they want to be able to do their jobs," Walling said. "I'm proud that the hardworking officers of Flint believe that I offer the best vision for public safety in this community."

Walling said he and the police organizations agree on the importance of community policing, and he said he wants to make sure officers have the support, training and technology they need to do their jobs.

"What I've come to understand is they are showing up for shifts and they don't feel like they are part of a strategy to bring safe streets to Flint. That's why they are so concerned about the current leadership."

Mayoral aide Joe Conroy said Williamson will get "a lot of endorsements" and that not getting the backing of the police union could be a reflection of some of the changes he's made since in office in order to better combat crime, including opening the city jail.

"The mayor has acted forcefully on changing the direction of the police department and has required changes," Conroy said, adding that the changes have included single-car patrols, changes in working hours and targeting crime from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.

He said Williamson's changes "are difficult for some people to accept."

Flint police officers have said they are glad the city lockup has been reopened, but they also have had major disagreements with Williamson, notably the assignment of patrol officers to one-officer cars and the creation of the mayor's Citizens Service Bureau last year.

Police say that the bureau, staffed by a handful of officers picked by Williamson to hold the ranks of "major" and "inspector," is a political operation for the mayor. Those promotions prompted hundreds of officers to file complaints with the state and federal equal opportunity offices on the grounds they were made by the mayor outside of all contractual and city guidelines and procedures.